


Marked

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Good Parent Han Solo, Heavy Angst, M/M, Minor Poe Dameron/Kare Kun, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Poe Dameron, Pining Ben Solo, Slow Burn Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Some Humor, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 11:04:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16345514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: In a galaxy where one’s soulmate is identified by the first letter of their first name on one’s wrist, Poe Dameron and the later-named Kylo Ren have a lot of searching to do before they find each other.





	1. The Mysterious K

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Yeah, I know this chapter’s mostly exposition. I’ll try and fix that in chapter two.

As far as Poe knew, he’d always had that letter K on his wrist. It was one of those things that was inexplicable, just because he didn’t know what the K meant. There weren’t many people in Poe’s life who had the letter K in their names (besides Poe’s father). Was it Kare, he couldn’t help but wonder. He was twenty-two now, and still, stars willing, feeling frustrated. It wasn’t always bad, granted — his father had found a perfectly happy relationship with his mother after a while of searching, even if it was cut short by her death. 

But it would be nice if someone gave him a hint, he supposed. The letter K on its own wasn’t exactly what you call helpful. 

Maybe he’d find a way to search for that being nonetheless. In between continuing to pilot for the Republic fleet, of course. 

It would be nice, at least, if he knew what the K on his wrist meant. 

***

As far as Ben knew, he’d always had the P mark on his wrist. It was as he got older that it turned from a light etching to something that seemed to be burned into his skin. It was one of many things that made his uncle afraid of him — so Ben had learned how to hide it. Wearing long sleeved robes, just for one example. They said that if the color of the mark changed, it meant that you were destined for bad things, and Ben doubted that he wanted that. 

No, he definitely didn’t want that. It didn’t mean that others weren’t about to be afraid of him. Monster they called him, whether it was out loud or in their heads. 

Either way, Ben thought, it hurt. He knew he didn’t want to be a monster. It didn’t stop others from thinking that way, at least.

Whatever happened, Ben would be a good Jedi, a superb one actually. He would make his uncle proud, and maybe, just maybe his soulmate would be too.

***

Months passed. It grew close to Ben’s twentieth Naming Day, Ben couldn’t help but feel a strange sort of loneliness just knowing that much. Just about everyone else had found their soulmate, he could only imagine, and he...well, he hadn’t. 

“You’ll find them,” his father said to him at one point. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Ben. Really really."

Ben could only hope. The voice in his mind, at least, continued to gnaw at him. You’re unwanted, it said, But not to me. Ben supposed it was reassuring enough. Even if he was fundamentally unwanted, the voice didn’t seem to think so.

In the end, Ben thought, there was that. Even if no one else wanted him, the voice did. Maybe that was what mattered in the end. 

Maybe...


	2. Call It An Experiment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe begins the search for the meaning of the K on his wrist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“I’m going to do it, Ben. It’s at least worth a shot.”

The two of them sat in their favorite place to go cloudwatching together, looking up at the sky. 

"You’re going to ask Kare out?” Ben said. It was one of those instances where he couldn’t help but feel at least a pang of jealousy. It wasn’t right, of course; just because he had a P Mark didn’t mean that Poe was his soulmate. And yet...

He could remember his childhood promise to marry Poe when they were both old enough. Poe had found it cute, but Ben had been serious about it, and even though others assured him that his feelings would change, so far they hadn’t.

So far, they’d only gotten deeper. 

“Well, yeah. Possibly. I mean...it’s worth a shot.”

”I’m happy for you.” Even those words sounded fake saying them. Kare was a good woman and she could potentially make Poe happy, but at the same time, Ben couldn’t help but wish that his first initial was tattooed on Poe’s wrist instead. 

Of course, maybe Poe in the end was just too good for him. Too Light, actually. Light without being a Jedi, actually. It was ironic and uncomfortable and something Ben wished he had with all his being. 

“Is there something wrong, Ben?” Poe said.

”Not really. I mean...”

Poe smiled. “I’m just going to try it out, Ben. It’s not going to be a first-date-marriage thing. Really.”

Ben hoped. He wanted Poe to be happy, and yet (and it made him grateful Poe could not read minds) he wondered if it was possible, possible at all, actually, to have Poe be happy with him. 

***

The problem with walking up to Kare was that Poe already felt nervous. He couldn’t say that he had done this before — asking a woman out, that is. Kare was already talking with Jess about something before Poe said, “Hey, Kare.”

”Hey.” Kare brushed her blond hair out of her eyes. “You doing okay? You look like a gizka in a minefield.”

Ever so obvious, even now. “I was wondering...do you want to see a holo sometime?"

Kare nodded. “Could be fun. Just you and me.”

Poe could swear that Snap flinched a little bit. He could only hope that he wasn’t damaging his friendship with Snap; there was something going on between him and Kare though Poe couldn’t say what. 

Mayve the holo would go well. It was just an experiment, after all. 

What could possibly go wrong? 


End file.
